Monumento a Francesco Simonetta - Intra (vb)

The monument erected in honor of the Milanese patriot and deputy Francesco Simonetta, a refugee in Piedmont after the Five Days of Milan, is located in the center of Piazza Daniele Ranzoni. Work of the sculptor Giulio Bergonzoli erected in 1866. Francesco Simonetta, son of Giambattista, a rich landowner originally from the Piedmontese shore of Lake Maggiore and Luisa Ciani, belonging to an illustrious dynasty of Ticino bankers, was born in Milan on January 24, 1813. After studying at the Sant'Alessandro high school in Milan, Francesco obtained the title of architect engineer at the University of Pavia on 06 September 1833. During his university period he came into contact with Mazzinian conspirators and in June 1834 he was arrested in Milan on charges of high treason. In the absence of evidence, he was released in December after seven months in prison. In 1845 he married his cousin Francesca "Fanny" Camperio with whom he had three children: Luigi, Luisa and Francesco. Meanwhile Simonetta continues to frequent patriotic circles and has contacts with the Mazzini network in Paris and London. He manages to escape arrest by the Austrian authorities by taking refuge in Piedmont to return to Lombardy at the news of the Milan insurrection. Later he fights in Peschiera and in Trentino. Back in the Kingdom of Sardinia he held the position of mayor of Varallo Pombia. In 1859 Giuseppe Garibaldi entrusted him with a small group of guides on horseback who supported the Hunters of the Alps, appointing him first lieutenant and then captain. In June 1860 he landed in Sicily with the expedition of the Thousand and fought in Milazzo, on the Volturno and in Capua giving proof of great value. After the war he settled in Milan where in the summer of 1863 he was elected city councilor, but before taking office he fell ill with typhus and died in Milan on 19 September 1863.

The monument is located in the main square of Intra, Piazza D. Ranzoni, a meeting point for young people and tourists, especially in the summer season. It is very large and imposing, it represents an Italian partisan who took part in the famous 5 days in Milan.